Johnson, Palmer, and Pence were chosen as the winners of the award. The winners were selected by the director of human resources, the district director of education, and an elementary principal, as requested by the Community Foundation.

Marion Community Schools congratulates all of these excellent teachers and thanks them for the work they do every day, and the difference it makes in our students' lives.

The Hanleys had the good fortune to be successful financially and wanted to give back to those individuals, communities, and institutions that have contributed over the years to their success. Mr. Hanley’s mother was certainly on that list, inspiring him educationally to be the best he could be, and that is why they named this award in her honor.

The award, set up in 2000 through the Community Foundation of Grant County to memorialize her name and her commitment to education and to promote excellence in teaching, is given annually to three outstanding elementary teachers in the MCS system, and this year included a prize of $500.

Marion Community Schools' Young Champions program invites families to kick off the summer season with us at the Little Feet Meet on Saturday, May 21, at the Marion High School sports complex!

This school year, MCS joined an exclusive group of schools across the state participating in Champions Together, an exciting partnership between the Indiana High School Athletic Association and Special Olympics, which offers students of all abilities the opportunity to participate in athletics together. Young Champions is a partner program that aims to help children explore physical activities and sports, and to develop skills for future participation in athletic training and competition. The Young Champions program promotes learning, achievement, and enjoyment of physical activity and athletics.

The Little Feet Meet is a fun-filled event for students in preschool through eighth grade and their families. Coming the day after school ends for MCS students, the Little Feet Meet is a great way to kick off an active summer! There will be five track event stations for participants, with kids separated by age, 3 to 7 and 8 to 14. There will also be lunch available (hot dogs, popcorn, water), goodie bags for participants, and other fun activities.

The Little Feet Meet begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, at Dick Lootens Stadium at Marion High School, and it will run through noon.

Registration for this event has now been opened up to ALL Marion kids! Registration is required in advance, though there is no cost to participate.

Where can you view spectacular art, support young artists, try your hand at various art techniques, and hear performances from some of the most talented young musicians around? At Marion Community Schools’ upcoming All-City Art Show!

You don’t need to travel far to be inspired this spring. At the All-City Art Show, set for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 13, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at Marion High School’s F. Ritchie Walton Performing Arts Center, creative works from students of all ages will be on display, and visitors will have the chance to participate in several interactive art activities, including:

Pottery wheels: Art students will help guide visitors through the experience of experience working with clay.

Keith Haring mural: Visitors will help create a piece of pop art in the style of the New York street artist, to be put on display at Frances Slocum Elementary next year.

3D wood sculpture: Visitors will be able to construct sculptures, using American abstract expressionist David Smith’s work as inspiration.

String art: Visitors will help create a piece of art as part of an interactive sign-in process.

In addition to the art display and interactive activities listed above, on Saturday visitors will also have the chance to hear performances from several MCS music ensembles, scheduled as follows:

Marion Community Schools’ art programs have consistently offered students outstanding opportunities, and in the last few years several students have had their works chosen for regional, state, and even national competitions, including the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Symphony in Color awards and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. Our art programs culminate with a wide array of courses at Marion High School, including drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and more.

At the All-City Art Show, visitors will get the chance to see creativity in action — and take some inspiration home with them, too. There will be a silent auction fundraiser of art items created or donated by MCS art teachers.

Coming up on Friday, April 29: The fourth annual Marion Community Schools Kindness Rally will celebrate the power that kindness has to change our schools, our community, and the world! This event is open to the entire community, and we hope YOU will join us!

A scene from the 2015 Kindness Rally.

Highlights will include the Chain Reaction Ceremony; the annual Student Kindness Awards and (new this year) the Staff Kindness Awards; the Kindness Chain Parade (where representatives from each school march in with paper chains, with each link representing an act of kindness noticed throughout the school year); a chicken noodle dinner; and a carnival with bounce houses, photo booth, food, and more!

The Kindness Rally is set for 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 29, 2016, at the Marion High School gym. Tickets to be used for the carnival attractions will be four for $1, and proceeds will fund continuing anti-bullying efforts throughout the school system.

Chicken noodle dinners will be available, including mashed potatoes, green beans, a roll, a drink, and a cookie, for just $4!

The Chain Reaction Ceremony is set for 5:30 p.m. (Doors open at 5:15 p.m.) The ceremony will feature:

MHS JROTC presenting the flag.

Performances by the MHS and McCulloch Junior High School choirs.

Presentation of Student Kindness Awards, which honor one student from each school who embodies the spirit and kindness and who consistently exhibits it to those around them.

Presentation of Staff Kindness Awards (new this year), which honor one staff member from each school who embodies the spirit of kindness and who consistently exhibits it to those around them.

Messages from district administrators.

The Kindness Chain Parade.

The carnival will begin immediately after the ceremony.

MCS is also especially grateful for the support of our community, specifically a grant from the Community Foundation of Grant County that helped fund this year’s Kindness Rally, along with a donation of baked goods from Café Valley for our cake walk.

The Kindness Rally is a culmination of the focus we have year-round of intentionally encouraging our students to think about kindness and the impact it has on those around them at school and in the community. Lessons are facilitated by our school social workers and counselors, utilizing materials from Rachel’s Challenge and often partnering with organizations such as Family Services and Grant-Blackford Mental Health. This is right in line with the Community Foundation Youth Grant program that promotes philanthropy, which includes the idea of promoting the welfare of others.

We like to emphasize that it doesn’t cost anything to start a chain reaction of kindness, because it’s important to empower children to do good and make a difference even if they face struggles themselves, but these classroom-based efforts often do result in volunteer time or monetary donations to good causes, with ideas often coming directly from the students themselves.

Some specific examples from this school year include:

• Kendall Elementary School’s Kindness Kids Club, which has done two community service projects this school year, including a book drive and a visit to Lutheran Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne to deliver the books and spend time reading and doing crafts with some of the patients, along with a visit to a local nursing home to deliver cards and care packages.
• Justice Intermediate School’s Kiss the Pig fundraiser challenge which brought in $900 for the Marion Community Schools Champions Together program, a partnership between the IHSAA and Special Olympics.
• Justice Intermediate’s faculty/friends vs. students basketball challenge, which raised money and gathered food donations and household items to help Justice families in need over the summer.
• Justice Intermediate’s food drive for The Salvation Army’s local food pantry.
• Marion High School’s food drive for St. Martin Community Center.
• Tucker Career and Technology Center culinary arts program’s work with local organizations for fundraiser food sales (such as cheese balls for Psi Iota Xi and apple dumplings for Kiwanis), as well as catering for meetings within the school system and in the community as well.
• TCTC’s welding program’s work on small projects throughout the community.

The idea of helping meet a need is the foundation of philanthropy, and students who learn to think of others and the impact their own actions can have on the world around them are set for a lifetime of giving in many forms.

All schools participate in the creation of the Kindness Chains throughout the year, but each school also has various other ways of recognizing and encouraging students and staff who display kindness and have an impact on others. At some schools, this includes cards or other rewards given for specific acts of kindness. At others, it involves recognition in a bulletin board display. The Student Kindness Awards are a natural outgrowth of this recognition process. One student from each building is selected by their administrators. We believe that simple acts of kindness have the power to change our classrooms, our schools, our community, and the world. Because of that, we truly believe the Student Kindness Awards are some of the highest honors we can bestow.

Marion Community Schools is proud of our students and staff who are starting a chain reaction of kindness and compassion and making positive changes in our schools and community. We hope that students of all ages and their families, along with community members, will come and help us celebrate at the third annual Kindness Rally!

WHY: Visit your school, get information, get a head start on the kindergarten registration process

QUESTIONS? Call 765-662-2546

PASS IT ALONG: Going? Respond on our Facebook event pages for the 1:30 p.m. event or the 6 p.m. event and share with your friends! And keep scrolling for a link to download our poster and flier to share!

Marion Community Schools invites families of children who will be starting kindergarten next school year to come visit their elementary schools and get a head start on the registration process at Kindergarten Roundup, set for Thursday, April 28.

Families can attend one of two sessions set that day, at 1:30 p.m. or 6 p.m.

Children who will be 5 years old on or before Aug. 1, 2016, can attend kindergarten in the 2016-17 school year.

The informational sessions will be offered at every MCS elementary school:

We hope to see all families of incoming kindergartners at this event that is just for them! It's a great way to help your future kindergartner get an introduction to the school building and staff. It's a low-pressure, informative session that's meant to specifically meet the needs of families with incoming kindergartners and their families

What you need to bring: We ask that you bring proof of residence (like a utility bill with your name and address on it) so we can make sure you're at the right school. We also ask that you bring a copy of your kindergartner-to-be's birth certificate. You'll be beginning the registration process at Kindergarten Roundup, so we need that official document to certify your child is eligible for kindergarten. (If you cannot bring a copy of the birth certificate on this day, we can still begin the registration process, but we'll need you to follow up with us and provide that document before we can complete the registration process.)

Want to help spread the word about MCS Kindergarten Roundup at your business or organization? Download and print our poster or flier and post them where the public can see them! THANK YOU for your support! Download links: